History was in the air as the Mercy College softball team
clinched a spot in the East Coast Conference Championships today,
splitting a doubleheader with Queens College. All Mercy had to do
was win once, which the Mavericks did in dramatic fashion.

The Knights (23-24; 12-15 ECC) won the first game, 6-3, setting
up a dramatic Game Two. The Mavericks (20-21; 14-14 ECC) responded
with a 5-3 win, claiming the fourth and final spot in the upcoming
ECC Championships. The Knights will finish in fifth place in the
league.

Queens took an early lead with back-to-back doubles in the top
of the second, only to have Mercy take a 2-1 lead in the bottom of
the frame on a two out, two-run single for senior Krissy Lacik (Edison,
N.J./Edison).

Methot’s first homer came in the third, giving the
Mavericks a 3-1 lead. In the top of the fourth, Melissa Natale hit
a solo shot for Queens, trimming the lead back to a single run.
In the top of the fifth, Queens tied the game on a Kaitlyn
Crowley RBI double.

In the top of the seventh, Queens had opportunities, but could
not capitalize.

In Game One, Queens scored five times in the third inning,
seizing control. Freshman pitcher Tayla Gardner (Orangeburg, N.Y./Tappan
Zee) allowed all six runs on 11 hits. Mercy had eight
hits, three coming off the bat of Methot.

The ECC Championship is a three-day, double-elimination
tournament, beginning Thursday, May 5, at Dowling College. The top
three seeds will be Dowling (40-4; 26-2 ECC), Molloy (37-11; 22-6
ECC), and C. W. Post (34-12; 20-8 ECC).

The Mavericks have a pair of doubleheaders remaining in the
regular season, hosting Briarcliffe on Sunday, May 1, and at Pace
on Wednesday, May 4.